BIRDS OF PREY: AND THE FANTABULOUS
EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN
D: Cathy Yan (2020) ¢ ¢ 1/2
Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Rosie Perez,
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollet-Bell,
Ella Jay Basco, Chris Messina, Ali Wong
If there was one character in "Suicide Squad" that viewers wanted to see more of - even some who didn't especially like the movie - it was probably Margot Robbie's maniacal, bat-wielding Harley Quinn. You do get more of her in this film - a lot more - and like some other characters who work better in ensembles or in support, it's a bit much. The story's a functional mess, about a missing diamond and a crazed gangster (Ewan McGregor) who wants it back. There's plenty of comic-book vi0lence, the production design looks good, and it's chaotic in a way that effectively reflects its lead character's personality, but fantabulous it ain't. The chance to do something interesting with a makeshift team of kick-ass women is mostly wasted, and the character you end up wanting to to see more of this time around isn't Harley, but a black-clad warrior called the Huntress, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Maybe she'll get her own movie, too, someday. Maybe it'll be a better one than this.
